Compound for treating sulfur-bearing fuel and other substances.



CHARLES FOXWELL, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMOKE-COAL ECONOMIZER CORPORATION, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

COMPOUND FOR TREATING SULFUR-BEARING FUEL AND OTHER'SUBSTANCES.

No Drawing.

bustion more complete and thus getting greater benefit from the fuel, but also rendering the products of combustion less harmful to metal parts (particularly iron or steel) of the combustion or heat-absorbing apparatus, in the presence of which c0mbustion takes place, or reducing contamination of metals, for the smelting of which the fuel may be employed.

In addition to the eflects constituting the principal objects of the invention as above outlined, the invention serves the further important purpose of protecting fuel' from slaking or losing its more volatile constituents when stored in exposed places for protracted periods and also counteracting conditions which lead to spontaneous combustion of the fuel. This last named effect may, by the use of the new compound, be realized 7 in connection with certain substances other will not attack iron or steel surfaces of the.

than fuel.

In carrying out the invention, the fuel is treated with a water solution of calcium chlorid and an oxygen-bearing compound of boron with the chlorin and boron compounds in such proportions as will establish a molecular balance between these two elements, as hereinafter more fully described. Among the characteristics of fuel treated by such a solution may be mentioned the following: The fuel burns as freely and easily as the best coal, notwithstanding the fuel may be rich in sulfur, and give 03 as many calories of heat and evaporate as much water. The products of combustion are rendered substantially inert and thus furnace or heat-absorbing elements of a boiler in connection with which the fuel is used. The sulfur is retained in combi- Specification of Letters Patent.

nation instead of being set free, and therefore, prevented fromcontaminating the metal values of ore, for the smelting of which the fuel may be used. The clinker is left lesstenacious and more readily disintegrated. Smoke and soot discharged from the stack are greatly reduced by the more complete combustion, thus not only economizing in the fuel required, but saving in the cost of cleaning.

While the characteristics and effects above recited have been ascertained by burning tests of different bodies of the same fuel and by comparison of treated and untreated masses of the same fuel subjected to the same storage conditions, and while not resting my claim to protection upon a technically correct discussion of the chemical reactions involved, and while these reactions would naturally differ more or less with different analyses of coal and difierent reagents employed in the compound used for treating the coal, the following is a general statement of what I believe to be the chemical phenomena-incident to the practising of my invention. That is to say, the characteristics recited result mainly from the supply of oxygen for combustion in addition to that available from atmosphere; the combining of the sulfur with the calcium through the intermediate step of forming SO, and the passing of the chlorin first to the-(for example) sodium element and then to the boronof the reagent supplied, so that neither sulfur nor chlorin are released; while during storage, the solution resists escape of the volatile fuel elements and screens it from the access of atmospheric oxygen and moisture that tend to raise the temperature of the fuel and develop spontaneous combustion.

Commercial borax (Na BQJ serves well for the boron compound, and this being dis solved in water together with calcium chlorid, in the proportion of, say, 382 pounds of commercial borax to 918 pounds of calcium Patented May 16, 19116.

Application filed February 19, 1916. Serial No. 79,447.

chlorid, of 72% purity which will make the chlorin and boron molecularly equivalent,

and the percentage of sulfur being ascer tained in the coal to be treated, the coal is is converted to S0,.

coal is ready for use. Obviously, the treat-- ment may procede on a scale less than that stated, in case it be not important to control all of the contained sulfur; and if the coal be treated with an excess of the solution, no harm will be done.

The reactions which take place in the burning of fuel treated as above described, (neglecting for convenience minor elements such as iron, alumina, and magnesia which exist in greater or less quantities in coal) may be explained as follows, the fuel in its natural state being represented by C plus S and the mixture in the fire box having the constituency, C plus S plus CaCl plus Na 'B O plus H O :The fire is started, the coal is consumed and the contained sulfur The SO starts to liberate chlorin from the CaCl, and forms CaSO The chlorin now liberated, combines with the sodium of the Na B O forming NaCl and liberating oxygen together with B 0 After satisfying the sodium element of the i a B,,O,, excess of chlorin liberated combines with boron trioxid B 0 liberating more oxygen and forming boron trichlorid B01 which is a fuming liquid that passes out through the stack without injury to the iron or steel surfaces with which it may come in contact. Excess of SO after satisfying the calcium element combines with sodium chlorid forming sodium sulfite Na SO and liberating more chlorin, which still finds its proper proportion" of B 0 and liberates still more oxygen and forms still more BCI, that passes out through the stack. The CaSO and Na SO formed as stated, are reduced by their contact with burning coal to Gas and Na s,

respectively, and in so doing, liberate additional equivalents of oxygen for further promoting the combustion.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have produced a new and useful compound, not only for treating fuel to improve its combustion and render it safe against spontaneous combustion, but for the treatment of other substances in which spontaneous combustion is ordinarily liable to occur.

I claim v 1. A compound for treating sulfurous fuel consisting in calcium chlorid in conjunction with an oxygen-bearing compound of boron having the qualities of preventing the escape of the sulfuric radical and the chlorin in their nascent state, and the production of oxygen during the process of combustion.

A combustion-promoting compound for sulfurous fuels consisting of calcium chlorid and borax in solution.

A combustion-promoting compound for sulfurous fuels consisting of calcium chlo rid and borax in solution in the proportion which leaves the chlorin and boron elements of the ingredients, being in substantially the proportions of B01 4:. A substance for resisting spontaneous combustion in materials; said substance consisting of a mixture of calcium chlorid and borax.

The foregoing specification. signed at Washington, in the District of Columbia, this 19th day of February, 1916.

. CHARLES FOXWELL. 

